Electrical device mounting means



March 8, 1955 A. H. CRONE ELECTRICAL DEVICE MOUNTING MEANS Filed July 18, 1951 ky nm flffarneys ELECTRICAL DEVICE MOUNTING MEANS Albert H. Crone, Rockford, 111., assignor to Geo. D. Roper Corporation, Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 18, 1951, Serial No. 237,420

7 Claims. (Cl. 240-4) This invention relates to a combined mounting for an electrical terminal block and a fluorescent lamp on the splash back or" a stove.

It is an object of this invention to provide a combined mounting for an electrical terminal block and a fluorescent lamp attached to the splash back of a stove in a novel manner which permits ready access to the terminal block and replacement of the fluorescent lamp from the front of the stove. I

It is also an object or" this invention to simplify the installation and repair of the electrical terminal block and fluorescent lamp assembly on a stove by making that assembly readily accessible by merely removing the top trim plate on the splash back of the stove.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a stove top and the novel terminal block and lamp assembly in position attached to the splash back of the stove, with the top trim plate for the splash back removed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the terminal block and fluorescent lamp assembly of the present invention and schematically illustrating the electrical connections between the terminal block and the several electrical devices.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 33 in Fig. 1.

In present day constructions of gas and electric stoves it is common practice to mount on the splash back of the stove one or more electrical devices, such as a fluorescent lamp, an electric clock, an electric cooking timer, and an outlet plug for another electrical device. Normally the electrical connections to these devices are located behind the splash back of the stove, and the splash back itself is usually constructed so that access to these electrical connections for servicing and repair can be had only from the rear of the stove. Since most stoves are installed in kitchens with the back of the stove against a wall, gaining access to the back of the stove requires moving the stove away from the wall, which is a cumbersome and complicated task.

These disadvantages attendant to the servicing and repair of the electrical appliances on present day stoves are overcome by the present invention, wherein access to the electrical connections and to the fluorescent lamp may be had from the front of the stove without requiring that the stove itself be moved.

As shown in the drawing, the stove is formed with a top 1 at which are positioned a plurality of top burners 2. At the back of the stove top, the splash back includes a front panel 3 which rises vertically to extend above the plane of the stove top. An electric clock 4, electric timer 5, outlet socket 6 and a switch 7 are all mounted on the front panel of the splash back. The front panel 3 of the splash back is dished outwardly adjacent the top thereof and intermediate the ends of the splash back to provide a horizontally elongated aperture (see Fig. 3) along the top thereof and an integral inverted hood member 8 which extends outwardly from the front panel of the splash back at the top thereof. The hood member extends forwardly and downwardly from the top of the splash back in front of the elongated aperture and forms a shield for the fluorescent lamp 9. The bottom edge of the hood is spaced from the front panel of the splash back to provide a lower front opening 10 where the fluorescent bulb is located.

ited States Patent 2,703,837 Patented Mar. 8, 1955 The top panel 11 of the splash back is dished inwardly at 12 lengthwise along the middle of the splash back. Apertures 13 are formed at each end of the inwardly depressed portion 12 on the top of the splash back, and a central elongated aperture 14 in the top is defined by spaced transverse pieces 15 of the dished-in portion 12.

The lamp and terminal plate assembly includes a pair of upstanding, right-angled brackets 16 having flat upper faces 17 formed with threaded central holes 18. These holes are positioned to be in register with holes 19 in the transverse pieces 15 on the top of the splash back. When assembled the respective upper faces 17 on the brackets lie beneath the flat bottom faces on the transverse pieces 15 in abutting relation therewith and screws 20 extend through the aligned holes 19 and 18 to secure the brackets to the top of the splash back.

A horizontal plate member 21 is suitably rigidly secured to the spaced brackets 16, as by welding or the like, to extend between them. This plate member supports a ballast 23 for the fluorescent lamp, a terminal plate 24 containing a plurality of separate pairs of electrically connected electrical terminals to which are attached the wires leading to the several electrical appliances from the power source, and a switch 26 which controls the supply of electrical power to the terminal block. The ballast 23 may be of the resistance or reactance type and is suitably connected in the electrical circuit of the fluorescent lamp to reduce the current thereto after the lamp has become lighted.

A forwardly extending, elongated plate 27 is connected to the plate 21 and is downwardly offset therefrom. The plate 27 is arranged to project through the horizontally elongated aperture in the front wall when the lamp and terminal plate assembly is mounted on the splash back and a pair of socket members 28 hang downward from plate 27 at either end thereof and are located forwardly of the front panel 3. Between these sockets an elongated fluorescent lamp bulb 29 is supported in the usual manner.

The entire lamp and terminal assembly has a length shorter than the opening 10 formed below the hood 8 at the front face of the splash back.

With the lamp and terminal plate assembly secured in position by the connection of the brackets 16 to the crosspieces 15 at the top panel of the splash back on the stove, the fluorescent lamp is suspended to lie along the lower front opening 10 beneath the hood 8.

A trim plate 30 fits snugly within the dished-in portion 12 of the top panel of the splash back and is removably secured thereto by screws 31 to close the openings in the top panel above the lamp and terminal plate assembly. Elongated apertures 32 along the central portion of the trim plate serve as air vents for the lamp and terminal plate assembly. Elongated apertures 33 at either end of the trim plate communicate with the end apertures 13 in the top of the splash back to form oven and broiler vents, in the case of gas stoves.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2, power is sup plied from a suitable source (not shown) by way of plug 39, through conductors 44) and 41 to the switch 26 and from the switch through conductors 42 and 43 to the terminals 44a and 45a on the terminal block, the respective terminals 44b and 45b being connected through conductors 46 and 47 to the electrical clock 4, the terminals 44b and 45b also being connected through conductors 48 and 49 to the outlet 6 and through conductors 50 and 51 to the electrical timer 5. Power is also supplied to the lamp 29 through ballast 23 and switch 7. More specifically, the electrode at one end of the lamp is connected through conductors 52 and 53 to the terminals 44a and 5611 on the terminal block, and the electrode at the other end of the lamp is connected through conductors 54 to the terminal 57a and through conductor 55 to the lamp ballast 23, which lamp ballast is otherwise connected through conductor to the terminal 57a. The terminals 45b, 56b, 57b and 58b are connected through conductors 61, 62, 63 and 64 respectively to the lamp switch 7, to effect manual starting of the fluorescent lamp.

For replacement of the fluorescent lamp bulb or to service the ballast for the lamp or any of the electrical devices energized through the terminal block, the following procedure is adopted: The top trim plate 30 is "removed by loosening the screws 31. The switch 26 18 then opened to disconnect the power. Next the screws 20 are removed and the entire lamp and terminal block assembly is removed, either partially or fully, through the lower front opening 10 of the hood member 8, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. In some instances, merely removing the trim plate will be sufficient to gain access to the terminal block from the top of the splash back to perform the desired servicing or inspection thereof.

Thus, it will be seen that by means of the novel construction according to the present invention the electrical connections to the various electrical devices on the stove are localized in a convenient and accessible spot. Also, replacement of the fluorescent lamp is readily accomplished Without the necessity of moving the stove.

While there has been disclosed a preferred form of the invention it is to be understood that modifications of the described embodiment may be resorted ot without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination of a stove having a splash back comprising a front panel extending upwardly from the stove top at the rear thereof and a top panel extending rearwardly from the top of said front panel, said front panel on the splash back being formed adjacent its top with a horizontally elongated aperture, a hood extending forwardly and downwardly to surround said aperture at the top, front and sides thereof and providing a bottom opening communicating with said aperture, an elongated support suspended from said top panel on the splash back and located behind said front panel thereof, an electrical terminal block carried on said support, said support having a portion thereof extending through said aperture in said front panel, and an elongated lamp bulb suspended horizontally from said portion of said support and positioned behind said hood adjacent the bottom opening therein forwardly of said front panel, and conductor means electrically connecting said lamp to said terminal block.

2. The combination of a stove having a splash back comprising a front panel extending upwardly from the stove top at the rear thereof and a top panel extending rearwardly from the top of said front panel, said front panel on the splash back being formed adjacent its top with a horizontally elongated aperture, a hood extending forwardly and downwardly from the top of said front panel to surround said aperture at the top, front and L sides thereof and providing a bottom opening communicating with said aperture, an elongated plate separably suspended from said top panel on the splash back and extending horizontally behind said front panel thereof,

an'electrical terminalblock and a fluorescent lamp ballast mounted on the top face of said plate, and an elongated fluorescent lamp bulb suspended from said plate and offset forwardly therefrom to extend horizontally in front of said aperture in said front panel on the splash back at said bottom opening in the hood, the integral assembly of said plate, ballast, lamp and terminal block being removable through said front panel aperture and the bottom opening of said hood upon separation of said plate from said top panel, and conductor means connecting said lamp and lamp ballast to said terminal block.

3. The combination of a stove having a splash back comprising a front panel extending upwardly from the stove top at the rear thereof and a top panel extending rearwardly from the top of said front panel, said front panel on the splash back being formed adjacent its top with a horizontally elongated aperture, said top panel on the splash back being formed with an elongated aperture, a support suspended from said top panel on the splash back and located behind said front panel thereof, an electrical terminal block carried on said support disposed beneath said top panel aperture to be accessible therefrom, a separable trim plate for said top panel on the splash back extending across said aperture therein, a hood extending forwardly and downwardly from said front panel on the splash back to surround said aperture therein at the top, front and ends thereof and providing a bottom opening communicating with said aperture, an elongated fluorescent lamp bulb suspended from :said support and extendmg horizontally behind said hood adjacent the bottom opening therein and forwardly of said front panel, condueto'r means connecting said lamp to said terminal block, and means for connecting said terminal block to a source of power.

4. The combination of a stove having a splash back comprising a front panel extending upwardly from the stove top at the rear thereof and a horizontal top panel extending rearwardly from the top of said front Panel, said top panel on the splash back being formed with an elongated aperture, an elongated plate suspended from said top panel on the splash back and extending horizontally behind said front panel thereof, said plate being separable from said top panel, an electrical terminal block and a fluorescent lamp ballast and a switch electrically connected to said terminal block for controlling the supply of electrical power to said terminal block all mounted on the top face of said plate and all disposed beneath said top panel aperture to be accessible therefrom, a separable 'trim plate for said top panel on the splash back extending across said aperture therein, said front panel on the splash back being formed adjacent its top with a horizontally elongated aperture, a hood extending forwardly and downwardly from said front panel to surround said front panel aperture at the top, front and ends thereof and providing a bottom opening communicating with said front panel aperture, and an elongated fluorescent lamp bulb suspended from said plate and offset forwardly therefrom to extend horizontally in front of said front panel aperture at said bottom opening in the hood, and conductor means connecting said lamp to said terminal block.

5. The combination of a stove having a splash back comprising a front panel extending upwardly from the stove top at the rear thereof and a horizontal top panel extending rearwardly from the top of said front panel, a portion of the top panel on the splash back being dc pressed downwardly to form a flat horizontal portion disposed lower than the upper surface of the top panel, said depressed portion of the top panel being formed with an elongated aperture, '21 pair of spaced brackets formed with flat upper surfaces separably connected to said depressed portion of the top panel at opposite ends of said aperture therein, an elongated plate rigidly connected to said brackets and extending horizontally therebetween suspended below the top panel on the splash back behind the front panel thereof, an electrical terminal block and a switch electrically connected to said terminal block for controlling the supply of electrical power thereto and a fluorescent lamp ballast all mounted on the top face of said plate and disposed beneath said top panel aperture to be accessible therefrom, a separable trim plate for the top panel of the splash back snugly seated over said depressed portion thereof and extending across said top panel aperture, the front panel on the splash back of the stove being formed adjacent its top with a horizontally elongated aperture, a hood extending forwardly and downwardly from the front panel to surround said front panel aperture at the top, front and ends thereof and providing a bottom opening communieating wlth said front panel aperture, a pair of spaced sockets rigidly suspended from said elongated plate at opposite ends thereof and offset forwardly therefrom, and an elongated fluorescent lamp bulb suspended between said sockets to extend horizontally in front of said front panel aperture and behind said hood at the bottom opening therein, the integral assembly of the spaced brackets, elongated .plate, terminal block, switch, lamp I ballast, sockets and lamp bulb being removable through said front panel aperture and said bottom opening in the hood upon separation of the brackets from the top panel on the splash back, and conductor means connecting said lamp ballast and said lamp to said terminal block.

6. The combination of a stove having a splash back comprising a front panel extending upwardly from the stove top at the rear thereof and a top panel extending rearwardly from the top of said panel, said front panel having a plurality of electrical devices mounted on the T front face thereof, said top panel on the splash back being formed with an elongated aperture, a support suspended from said top panel on the splash back and located behind said front panel thereof, an electrical terminal block having terminals for said electrical devices carried on said support and positioned beneath said top panel aperture to be accessible therefrom, conductor means connecting said electrical devices with the associated terminals on said terminal block, and a separable trim plate for said top panel on the splash back extending across said aperture therein.

7. The combination of a stove having a splash back comprising a front panel extending upwardly from the stove top at the rear thereof and a horizontal top panel extending rearWardly from the top of said front panel, said front panel having a plurality of electrical devices mounted on the front face thereof, said top panel on the splash back being formed with an elongated aperture, an elongated plate separably suspended from said top panel on the splash back and extending horizontally behind said front panel thereof, an electrical terminal block having terminals for said electrical devices mounted on the top face of said plate beneath said top panel aperture to be accessible therefrom, conductor means electrically connecting said electrical devices to the associated terminals on said terminal block, and a separable trim plate for said top panel of the splash back extending across said aperture therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

